Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP, has announced his candidacy to succeed Rishi Sunak as the next Conservative leader, joining James Cleverly in the race. Tugendhat, who is known for being on the one nation wing of the party, stated that he would be willing to leave the European convention on human rights, a shift from his previous stance. He argued that if institutions made it harder to control the UK’s borders, the country would have to either exempt themselves from them or leave their jurisdiction, calling it the “commonsense Conservative position.”
Tugendhat also pitched to the right on other key issues for Tory members, including gender identity, net zero, and defense spending. He stated that the Tories lost the trust of British voters in the last election because they failed to deliver on their promises, and he believes that regaining trust is crucial for winning the next election.
The Conservative party has set out a timetable for the leadership contest, with nominations closing next week. Tory MPs will reduce the candidates to a shortlist of four in September, who will then make their pitch to grassroots members at the party conference in October. The final two candidates chosen by MPs will be put to a vote by the membership, with the result expected to be announced on 2 November. Rishi Sunak is currently the interim leader and will continue in that role until the new leader is determined.
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